


Stop (In The Name of Love)

by bythegraceandglory



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Engagement, Eventual reveal, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Mostly In Character, One sided reveal, aged-up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26182162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bythegraceandglory/pseuds/bythegraceandglory
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng broke up with Adrien Agreste after accidentally learning his identity as Chat Noir. Months later, Adrien prepares to marry Kagami Tsurugi. The one problem? Marinette isn’t sure if she’s reading too far into things or if the man she still loves really does still loves her back.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 49
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

_“I’m so sorry,” Marinette said. She hoped that the tears forming in her eyes would pass as rain drops._

_“Why?” Adrien asked. “Aren’t we happy, Marinette?” The anguish in his voice was clear; anguish she was putting there._

_It took everything in Marinette not to close the space between them and kiss the tears off his face. But she had to be strong… and break the heart of her true love._

_“It’s too much. All this secrecy. I want to go on dates with you and not have to worry about your father or the press catching us.” Lies. All lies. Marinette didn’t care that their relationship had to be kept a secret. She was in love with him. Nothing else mattered._

_Well, almost nothing else…_

_Adrien’s face collapsed in on itself. When they had first revealed their feelings for one another several months ago, Adrien had warned her that dating him would be complicated with the press, but she had said that it was fine and that his anxieties about her getting bored of a secret relationship were silly. Now she was using those anxieties against him. She was an awful person, she knew that. But this would all save them a lot of heartbreak later. Break his heart now, save the world later._

_“Wh-what about love?” It wasn’t so much of a question, but a plea, begging her to say that she didn’t really want to break up with him._

_Marinette closed her eyes and breathed in, making sure her voice wouldn’t falter as she said the next words, the biggest lie of all. “I- I don’t love you anymore.”_

_Marinette turned from him, not trusting herself not to start sobbing in front of him._

_“Please, don’t do this!” Adrien pleaded. “Please, princess.”_

_Marinette flinched at the familiar nickname, all the little pieces she hadn’t put together before._

_Her resolve was set. Adrien was Chat Noir. Their love had destroyed the world. She couldn’t let that happen again._

Marinette was snapped out of the memory by Kagami’s giggles. A wave of guilt washed over her, as she looked at Adrien’s blushing fiancé who had invited her, Alya, and a few other girls to go wedding shopping with her. It had been monthsr since she had broken up with Adrien. She had no right to be feeling things for him, especially when he was about to be married. Especially, when his fiancé, _Kagami_ , had no idea that her friend and helper in the wedding planning process had actually _dated_ him.

Marinette had never even told Alya. She thought Alya may have had suspicions (she was a superheroine in a secret relationship and there were only so many believable excuses), but she had never said anything.

“What do you think, Marinette?” Kagami asked. Marinette turned and, in the process, tripped over a stool that was in the center of the store, falling on her face.

Kagami and Alya giggled at her clumsiness, before Alya offered Marinette a hand up. Marinette noted that Kagami’s hands were full with two different sets of lingerie. Lingerie for a _wedding night_. One Kagami would soon have with Adrien.

Marinette had watched Adrien and Kagami’s relationship unfold by her friends’ sides, but it didn’t mean that the knowledge that they would be getting married wasn’t still as painful for Marinette now as it was a month ago when they had announced the engagement.

Marinette put those thoughts out of her head, locking them away in a box to be cried over- most likely while listening to Jagged Stone and eating chocolate- later. She brought her attention to the two sets Kagami held up.

“I’d go with white,” Marinette said, finally. “It’s nice and classic. Good for a wedding night.”

“Not the spots?” Kagami teased. “I heard Adrien had a crush on Ladybug when we were younger.”

Marinette hoped that her wince wasn’t too visible. Of course, Adrien, her sweet kitty, had a crush on both sides of her. “I mean, it’s your wedding night. I’m sure you’d know best about what Adrien would want.”

“Actually, I don’t,” Kagami admitted, in her matter-of-fact way.

“You don’t?” Alya asked, journalistic curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

“We haven’t been intimate yet. The most we’ve done is kiss,” Kagami shrugged. “Adrien has lived a very sheltered life from Gabriel. He is shy about these things so I haven’t wanted to push it. And now with our wedding in two weeks, it just seems natural that he’s been waiting until marriage.”

Alya continued to talk with Kagami on the subject, but Marinette’s mind flashed somewhere else, to memories she had fought long to repress lest they bring out another wave of heartbreak. Hands roaming her body, touches and kisses making her moan with pleasure. Skin against skin. Warmth and love.

Even as the girls continued their shopping, the question nagged in the back of Marinette’s mind. _Adrien had been intimate with her, so why wasn’t he with Kagami?_

\-------

“Tikki, tell me I’m overthinking this,” Marinette flopped back onto her bed.

“I don’t know, Marinette. It is strange that Adrien had been… physical with you and not Kagami. But you are different girls and his relationship with Kagami is very public, yours wasn’t.” The kwami nibbled on a cookie besides Marinette.

“So, it couldn’t be because he’s still in love with me?” Marinette asked.

“Marinette, you broke up with him. I still don’t understand why…” Tikki trailed off.

“Because of Chat Blanc. He said that ‘our love destroyed the world’. I didn’t want to hide my identity knowing his, but I couldn’t risk him getting akumatized like before. Until Hawkmoth is defeated… I just can’t. I guess I just didn’t think, he’d move on so fast.”

“Black Cats and Ladybugs often end up finding each other in the end. It might not be the end for you two.”

“Maybe, but I want him to be happy. And I want Kagami to be happy too. I won’t stand in their way. But I wish things could be different.” Marinette sighed. “I’ve always loved him. I still love him.”

\--------

Ladybug was distant all throughout her patrol. They had helped a young girl recover her kitten from a tree, but even that couldn’t cheer her up.

They ended the patrol on a rooftop. She was about to turn to leave when Chat stopped her, a hand reaching out to grab her arm. It wasn’t an aggressive grip, just enough to show that

“What’s up, my Lady?” Apparently, her quietness had not gone unnoticed.

She appreciated the familiar nickname. Even when the romantic connotations faded, he still continued to call her by the nicknames of their childhood. Little did he know that he actually had been romantically involved with his Lady at one point.

“What would you do if your ex who you were still in love with was getting married?” Ladybug asked. She knew she was toeing a very dangerous line, revealing information like this, especially if Chat’s widening eyes were any indication. It wasn’t like they hadn’t shared more personal information over the years (she knew Chat’s favorite video games, he knew she wanted to work in the fashion industry, she knew he didn’t always get along with his father), but they had never gone as far as to discuss their love lives. But she was so tired today… she just wanted advice from the man she loved, even if he didn’t know it was her.

Chat shook his head, as if to shake the disbelief out of his head. He cleared his throat and began. “Um… I guess, I would tell that person.”

“What if it ruined their chance of happiness?” she pressed. She felt a wave of guilt at even daring to bring this up, but she couldn’t stop now.

“Who said they were happy?” Chat said, sounding distant. He didn’t meet her gaze.

Ladybug straightened up, her eyes growing wide. It couldn’t be. It was another trick of her mind. She had seen photos of Kagami and Adrien. They were happy and she was misinterpreting Chat’s words. “What?” she managed to croak out.

Chat’s eyes widened when he realized the magnitude of what he had said, even if he didn’t mean to imply that _he_ wasn’t happy and even though there was no way Ladybug could possibly know he was getting married. He continued, anyway. “I mean, there are plenty of reasons to get married other than love. I think you should tell him. What’s there to lose?”

“Tell him what, ‘sorry, I broke up with you a year ago, but I still love you, so do you want to leave your soon-to-be wife,’” Ladybug tried to joke to keep off her heartbreak, but it just came out sounding delirious.

Chat gave her a weak smile. “Maybe don’t phrase it like _that._ But if you don’t tell him, you’ll always wonder. And maybe he’ll always wonder to.”

Ladybug stared at the boy in awe. It was just a trick. He loved Kagami. The advice he gave Ladybug was no more than advice to a friend he wanted to see happy with the man she loved. He was giving her some false hope to cheer her up.

Ladybug sighed. “It’s a lovely idea, but I don’t think I can. I’m friends with his fiancé and I just can’t do that to them. They’ll be happy together. I can’t be a homewrecker.”

Chat deflated at her words. _She had turned down his advice, it had nothing to do with Marinette at all_ , Ladybug told herself.

Ladybug sighed, trying to lighten the mood. “Thanks anyway, Chaton. I’m glad I have you in my life.”

Chat smiled at her gratitude. “Me too, my Lady. Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I really wanted to write some good old-fashioned angst. I’m sorry. There will be a happy ending, though.  
> The song I wrote the break-up to was Pat Benatar’s cover of “Don’t Let It Show.” Beautifully heartbreaking.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien remembers his engagement to Kagami. Adrien runs into Marinette and awaits closure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your lovely comments. I’d like this fic to live up to them, but half of this fic is just based on them being stupid idiots in denial so...  
> Will someone teach me how to write characters who aren’t pushovers?? Does that say something about my personality?? On the bright side, I will be taking a class in creative writing this semester. And I'll be joining an LGBTQIA support group 😊

_“Plagg, why am I still in love with a girl who says she doesn’t love me?” Adrien sighed._

_“You have a thing for dark-haired girls who reject you?” The kwami shrugged._

_Adrien glared at Plagg before sighing and collapsing on the bed. “I deserve to move on.”_

_“But…”_

_“I can’t stop thinking about her.”_

_Adrien was pulled out of this train of thought by his cell phone ringing. He glanced at the caller ID. Nathalie_

_“Hello,” Adrien picked it up._

_“Can you be at the mansion in an hour for a meeting,” Nathalie asked, her voice it’s usual cold._

_“I- it’s a Saturday.”_

_“Is that a no?”_

_“No, it’s a yes. I just- I’ll see you in an hour.”_

_“Of course. Do you need me to send the car?”_

_“No, that’ll be fine.” The line got cut short as Nathalie hung up the phone._

_“What do you think that was about?” Adrien asked Plagg._

_“I don’t know what you humans do. If it was me, I would be demanding a life time supply of camembert.” Adrien shook his head at the kwamis antics._

_An hour later, Adrien found him sitting in the mansion’s sitting room with his father and Tomoe and Kagami Tsurugi. Nathalie stood to the side taking notes on her tablet._

_“I am sure you’re wondering why we called you here,” Gabriel began. Adrien and Kagami turned to each other and shrugged._

_Adrien had been close to Kagami in high school, but the natural course of time had caused them to drift apart. He knew that she had gone to school to study foreign relations and she was working to be a diplomat._

_Gabriel continued. “As you know, Tsurugi-San and I have been working on business deals. We believe that the best way to finish these deals would be to the seal the partnership between the two families via marriage.”_

_“You’re getting married?” Adrien gasped. It wasn’t like he was opposed to his father getting married again, he had just always thought that if he got married again it would be for love rather than business._

_“No,” Tomoe replied. “You are.”_

_Both Adrien and Kagami’s eyes widened. “Married?” Kagami breathed. “Like an arranged marriage?”_

_“Exactly. In addition to it being a good business deal, it will also look good in the press. You will date for a couple of months, to ward off an unsavory rumors, but then we expect and engagement and a marriage,” Gabriel said._

_“Is that all?” Kagami asked._

_“Nathalie has scheduled you too a date for tomorrow evening,” Gabriel continued. Distantly, Adrien heard him say more, but he was too in shock to make out individual words. Married. Him. It hadn’t been two months since he had broken up with Marinette because of secrets and now Gabriel was throwing him into a very public relationship. What would Marientte think? Adrien scoffed. Marinette would probably be glad he moved on._

_Adrien glanced at Kagami besides him. It wasn’t fair to her, to be practically already engaged to a man who had feelings for someone else. He knew she had feelings for him in high school, feelings he hadn’t fully returned. Would he succeed in breaking her heart again?_

_Kagami was a great girl, he remembered that much from high school. He could grow to love her. He just needed time._

_The four people stood up, shaking hands like they hadn’t just discussed a lifelong commitment._

\------------

Talking with Ladybug, Chat couldn’t help but think about his own impending marriage. He didn’t know about the man Ladybug was hung up over, but he would give the world to get closure from Marinette.

He had never understood why they had broken up. He knew they were in love and he had thought things were going so well. Sure, it had complicated things that they had to hide their relationship for those months, but he really thought they would be okay. But then, right when he was prepared to tell his father, Marinette had told him that she no longer loved him, that she hated keeping it a secret, and that it was time they broke up. He had tried to press her into giving him more details, but she wouldn’t.

They had done their best to remain on amicable terms (their respective best friends were dating afterall), but there was a certain tension that remained in the air. Whereas before, it was not unusual for them to get together alone, now they never did that. It hurt all the more, considering every time Adrien saw Marinette, his heart turned over in his chest and he found that he was still in love with her.

Then there was the matter of Kagami. She was a great partner. They respected each other, but the passion that he had with Marinette wasn’t there. Adrien was pretty sure that Kagami had developed genuine feelings for him over the course of their courtship, but he hadn’t managed to reciprocate, try as he did. He didn’t have _no_ feelings for her; just while her feelings were love, his were caring. He wanted her to be happy, he wanted to spend time with her, but the passion that was with Marinette wasn’t there.

Months ago, he had certain that his feelings for Kagami would grow stronger over time. Now, days from his marriage, he found that his feelings had not grown. He couldn’t break the engagement; it would break Kagami’s heart, not to mention he wasn’t even sure if his father would allow it. But he also couldn’t get over Marinette. Neither adult had discussed their feelings for one another, not wanting to break the relationship they were locked into to.

Adrien was so lost in thoughts as he walked back from a photoshoot that he didn’t notice the small girl in front of him in time.

They crashed into each other, each stumbling out apologies for their clumsiness, before meeting each other’s eyes.

“Adrien!” Marinette gasped, her eyes wide.

“Marinette,” he breathed. He shook his head, composing himself. “I am so sorry. I was lost in my head and didn’t notice you.”

Marinette’s expression morphed into a comfortable smile. “It’s okay. I wasn’t really paying attention either.”

The two young people stare at each other for a moment, not quite sure what to say.

“I have some time before I have to get home. Would you like to grab coffee?” Adrien asked. He didn’t know why he asked- was he hoping for a chat with a friend or for a love declaration as he had urged Ladybug to do last night?

Adrien almost swore he saw a look of panic on her face, but it was quickly replaced by a smile. “I’d love to Adrien. It’s been a while since we’ve spent time just the two of us.” Immediately after she said that, she blushed. Adrien knew why; the last time it had been just the two of them had been when Marinette was returning some clothes and items he had left at her place.

Adrien cleared his throat. “Great. There’s a nice place just a block away.”

Adrien and Marinette walked to the coffee shop in silence, neither knowing what to say first. It wasn’t until they had ordered their drinks and had sat down that they finally got to talking.

“So… how have you been?” Adrien asked, awkwardly. Marinette couldn’t help but wince. At one point they had known almost everything about each other’s lives, now they kept each other at arm’s length, learning much about each other’s lives from Nino and Alya and social media. Adrien’s eyes widened at her reaction and Marinette quickly scrambled to reassure him, almost knocking a drink over.

“I- I’ve been good,” Marinette croaked. “Um… today I had a job interview.”

Adrien’s eyes lit up. “Really?” This was news to him.

“Yeah… I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, but it’s for a seamstress position at a fashion house here in Paris. I might be a little overqualified with my fashion degree, but I looked into the company and they tend to promote from within.”

“That’s great, Marinette,” Adrien said, earnestly. “I’m sure you’ll get it. You’re incredibly talented.”

“Thank you, Adrien.” There was another lapse in conversation. “So… your wedding is in 10 days. That’s great.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“What’s wrong?” Marinette asked.

Adrien’s eyes widened. “How did- I didn’t-” He sighed dejectedly, looking down to his hands resting on the table. “Is it that obvious that something’s up?”

Marinette placed a comforting hand on top of his. He lifted his eyes to meet her own. She was smiling softly. “Only to me,” she whispered.

Adrien nodded his head, processing what she said. Now was the part when he would say that he was still in love with her, that Kagami was just pushed onto him by his father and Marinette was the one he wanted to spend his life with. Or he would press her for the answers she hadn't given him months ago. Or pray that Marinette was like Ladybug and just waiting to confess her true feelings. Together they’d find a way out of this situation that he found himself in.

Instead he lied. He wasn't ready to go against his father or hurt Kagami. “Just the wedding planning business. It’s taking more out of me than I thought it would.”

“I understand,” she nodded, pulling her hand back. Adrien’s eyebrows furrowed, causing Marinette to laugh. “I’ve been helping Kagami and I see how many details you two have to consider.”

Oh, right. He had forgotten that Kagami and Marinette were friends. Way to complicate the situation even more.

“It’s… a lot,” he said. 

“But it’ll be worth it. You and Kagami will make a lovely couple.” Adrien thought that maybe her tone sounded wistful.

“Thank you,” he sighed. Of course, she'd want him to be happy. He wished he could tell her everything, but he wasn't ready to destroy everything on a whim.

The two young people talked more about Adrien’s upcoming nuptials and Marinette’s fashion career. The conversation was lighter than the conversations about hopes and dreams and pressures and parents that they had had when they were together. Yet, talking with Marinette still put him more at ease than he had been in a while.

They parted with a final good-bye after they had finished their drinks, saying they would see each other at the wedding.

When she was out of earshot, Plagg peaked out from Adrien’s pocket. “That was a nice date with your girlfriend.”

“She is _not_ my girlfriend. I’m engaged to Kagami.”

“BFD. Engaged ain’t married,” Plagg scoffed.

“Wh-” Realization dawned on Adrien. “Plagg, have you been watching The Office illegally online again?”

“Eh. I don’t judge your web searches. You shouldn’t judge mine.”

Adrien groaned, thoughts of Marinette were pushed out of his head and replaced by the gluttonous god cohabitating with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not expecting to bring The Office into this. It just happened so I ran with it. Sorry, not sorry.  
> So now we see that Adrien and Marinette are just partially horrible people and not completely horrible people. I think they do want what's best for each other, they just don't know how to communicate it and don't want to be rejected.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette remembers the moment that led to her decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone was reading my post season 3 fic, I haven't forgotten about it, I just have writer’s block on the next two chapters (I have a plot in mind, but I'm not sure if it would work character wise). I would love to write more soon, but with school and helping my town's archivist, I don't know when I'll have time. But I definitely haven't forgotten.

_The akuma had been a crazed Adrien Agreste fangirl. Ladybug had defeated it, but still worried for Adrien after it was all clear. She swung into an alley near his apartment, where she had last seen him. She detransformed- trying not to feel any guilt about the massive secret she was hiding- in the alley, before taking the key Adrien had given her a few months ago and ran to her boyfriend’s apartment. The apartment was silent, but she heard a noise in the bedroom. She tiptoed over to the door and pushed the door open a sliver, not wanting to disturb Adrien if he was sleeping._

_Only, Adrien wasn’t the man standing in the bedroom. Instead, she was facing the back of none other than Chat Noir. It wouldn’t be such a stretch to say that maybe Chat was just visiting Adrien as he had done to her on occasion in their teenage years, except for the fact that hundreds of tiny puzzle pieces came together in Marinette’s head. Gone was any guilt over her secret life as Ladybug, replaced by a wave of cold memories. How both Adrien and Chat called her “princess.” How Adrien always mysteriously vanished during akuma attacks. How Chat stopped pursuing Ladybug around the time when Marinette had started growing closer with Adrien._

_She heard Chat begin his detransformation, but didn’t want to see what she already knew. She ran back to the alley and zipped back to her home, sinking against a wall._

_“Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir,” she said._ Adrien Agreste _was Chat Noir._ Adrien Agreste _had told her that their love destroyed the world. She couldn’t know his identity and be with him, not as long as Hawkmoth had the ability to akumatize him._

_“You’re catastrophizing, Marinette,” Tikki had said. “You changed that future.”_

_“But what if me staying with Adrien when I know he’s Chat, leads us back to that future.”_

_“You don’t need to tell him you know, and you don’t need to tell him your Ladybug, just yet,” Tikki offered._

_“I can’t keep a secret like that. It’ll eat me up,” Marinette scoffed._

_“What are you going to do?”_

_“I need to break up with Adrien. Then I won’t be tempted to tell him I know.”_

_“Adrien is head-over-heels for you. He won’t let you break up with him over a reason you can’t explain.”_

_“Then I’ll lie.”_

_“Marinette, Adrien hates liars. You’ll break his heart.”_

_“If that’s what it takes to save the world so be it.”_

Marinette sighed, pushing the memories out of her head. No use dwelling on the past. It had been nice talking to Adrien today and she knew she did the right thing. Adrien had seemed stressed by the wedding, but she got the impression that he was happy with Kagami. He deserved to be happy, he wouldn’t stand in the way of that.

\-----------

Hours later, Adrien was glad that Marinette hadn’t told her she loved him. He had been overcome by emotions earlier. He was engaged to Kagami, their union would be good for the press and their families and it would make her happy. He couldn’t leave her at the altar… or t-minus 9 days from the altar.

It was nice to talk with Marinette. Even if he hadn’t gotten the response he had wanted in the moment, he was glad now that he was able to get a bit of closure from it. He had seen that she was happy, she was on the way to the job of her dreams. She wanted him and Kagami to be happy and together. Everything would still be okay.

Adrien resolved that he would marry Kagami and be happy with just her.

\------------

The morning was a different story. Part of getting married was living together, which meant that Adrien had to make room for Kagami. His apartment (Nathalie had once urged Gabriel that his son having his own apartment would make Adrien seem independent to the press, though Adrien could never tell if she had had the press’s interest or his interest at heart) had more than enough room for two people, but Adrien still needed to make space for Kagami’s belongings. She would be by later, but Adrien had started going through old boxes in his office.

Most of the contents of the box were old company papers that he could get rid of. There were some documents Adrien wanted to keep, such as diplomas and awards.

Adrien finished up, taking many items to the recycle bins outside. He lifted up a box of the documents he’d keep. As he did so, he noticed a piece of paper under the desk chair. It must’ve slipped under while he had been organizing.

Adrien set the box on the desk and reached down to pick up a piece of paper. He gasped. It was a rough sketch he had done. It should’ve been meaningless, but it wasn’t. He must’ve forgotten to get rid of it. That sketch was what he had been working on when he first told Marinette that he loved her.

_Marinette leaned over her sewing machine, making her project for her upper-level design class at ESMOD look effortless. Adrien, on the other hand, sat on her couch and worked hard to sketch a dress for his final project._

_Marinette moved away from her sewing machine and walked over to sit beside Adrien on the couch, tilting his design towards her. It wasn’t jaw-dropping, but it wasn’t horrible. “That looks great, Adrien. I have a few suggestions, but you’ve come a long way since the beginning of the semester.”_

_Adrien beamed at her praise. He had been absolutely hopeless before she had run into him, the son of a fashion designer who had no interest in designing, but who had been enrolled in a design course at his father’s request as a way to get an arts credit before he graduated with his business degree. On one particularly awful day, he had stumbled into Marinette, his friend from high school, who, after a cup of coffee over which he had vented all his feelings, had offered to tutor him. And tutor him she did, turning him from failing to acceptable, all he really needed to be in this one aspect of his life._

_The past few months with Marinette, had Adrien’s feelings shifting. No longer was she just his childhood friend; he could feel the beginning of love to form._

_He knew his father wouldn’t like it. He had an image to maintain with the press and Marinette’s status as an aspiring designer wouldn’t look good, even if he knew she would never use him. Yet, he couldn’t stop the feelings he felt for her._

_“It’s all thanks to you,” he replied, with a smile._

_“I can’t take all the credit,” she offered._

_“No, Marinette. I’d be hopeless without you.” He sighed, mentally preparing himself for what he’d say next. “Would you want to go to dinner with me?”_

_“Dinner?” Marinette repeated. “Like on a date?”_

_Adrien cringed. He had been rejected by Ladybug so many times, that he knew the sound of it. “It could just be a celebration of the ending year… but if you wanted it to be a date, I would like that.”_

_Marinette was silent for a moment. But then she smiled. “I would love that Adrien.” She frowned again. “But your father…”_

_“I know. We’ll cross that when we get there. But I can’t hide my feelings for you anymore. I love you, Marinette.”_

_“I love you too, Adrien.” She laced her fingers through his. “We’ll figure this out. Together”_

_Together_ , she had said with such certainty. The memory brought a fresh wave of tears and heartbreak to Adrien. She had broke his heart. A strong part of him wanted to resent her for it, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop loving her.

\-------

Deep down, Kagami knew that Adrien didn’t feel the same way about her as she did. She would put on a brave face with her friends, but there was a reason they weren’t as intimate as they’d like. Their whole relationship- dating, proposal, impending marriage- had been arranged from the beginning. She had known that Adrien was simply fond of her in the beginning and had assumed that overtime his feelings would grow. However, they’d been together almost eight months and she had barely felt a shift in his feelings. Adrien never initiated kisses and never seemed to desire to take it farther. She could tell that Adrien cared about her and wanted her to be happy, but it was getting exhausting not being loved back.

She walked into Adrien’s apartment with the key Adrien had given her. They had said that today they would make sure Kagami had room for things at Adrien’s apartment. However, Kagami also wanted to talk about their relationship. She should’ve done this months ago, she knew, but she had stubbornly believed Adrien’s feelings would change. She had wanted so desperately to be loved back that she had denied the truth: his feelings wouldn’t change and she needed to talk to him before they swore “until death do us part”.

Kagami entered the apartment with cold resolve. “Adrien,” she called. There was no response.

She began to walk through the different rooms of the apartment, when she heard a soft sob in the direction of the office. Kagami pushed the door open, to see Adrien sitting on the floor, a piece of paper in hand, and crying.

“Adrien.” Her cold resolve faded to make way for compassion as she knelt beside the crying man. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I can’t do this,” he managed between sobs.

Kagami’s heart stopped. “What?” she gasped.

Adrien stopped crying and looked up at her. Any ideas that his words were just a mistake left Kagami’s head as Adrien stared at her with wide eyes. “I’m sorry- I didn’t-”

“I think you did,” Kagami scowled at him. “What _can’t you do_ , Adrien?”

“I can’t marry you,” he whispered.

“And you tell me this now? Eight days from our wedding?” She was Kagami Tsurugi. She would not yell, but she sure as hell would seethe.

“I know. I’m sorry. But I can’t lie to you, Kagami.”

“Why?” She deserved to know why her _fiancé_ was leaving her. “Is there someone else?”

“I don’t know.”

“How do you not know?” her voice was cold and restrained.

“I mean- I haven’t been cheating on you, but there is another girl who holds my heart. I don’t know if she even loves me back. I’ve tried to move on for you, I really have, but I just can’t, not when everything I see reminds me of her. It’s not fair to you, to lead you on. I should’ve told you this months ago, but I’ve been scared and I thought things would change, but they haven’t and I don’t think they will anytime soon.”

She remembered the conversations of her youth. Telling Marinette not to falter to get what she wanted. Kagami hadn’t faltered in her affections to Adrien. She had made them known, but it didn’t work. So maybe now it was time to remember the other advice she had once given: she had once told Adrien to change his target. Maybe it was time she did the same.

She remembered the way Adrien had looked when she had brought up Marinette’s name as one of the girls who would go shopping with her. She remembered Marinette’s face when she had showed her the lingerie she was considering buying. It couldn’t be… and yet it made so much sense. She couldn’t believe she had denied it for so long. She also couldn’t help, but respect Marinette for always putting her feelings before her own.

Her anger and sadness were far from gone, but she sighed. She’d put them in a box to be dealt with later and focus on the task at hand. “I understand.”

“You understand?” Adrien asked.

“I know how powerful unrequited love can be. I wish we had had this conversation earlier, but I’m glad you’re telling me now rather than months into our marriage. And before I broke my apartment’s lease.”

Adrien scoffed at that. “I know, it’s a stretch, but could we still be friends?”

“I don’t know, Adrien. I understand why you’re doing this, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt. It’s going to take a while to get over that. But maybe, once I have, we can see.”

Adrien nodded. “We need to tell our parents.”

“We do. That is going to be a nightmare.”

“At least, they’re professional. They might disown us as children, but we’ll still have jobs.” Adrien and Kagami laughed up at their messed up family dynamic. Adrien sighed. “I’ll tell them. It’s really the least I could do for leading you on for so long.”

“That is true,” Kagami conceded. “Goodbye, Adrien.”

“Goodbye, Kagami. I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize. I’ll get enough pity from other people. I don’t need it from you.”

Kagami left the apartment. She packed a bag and booked a hotel in a Greece. She needed a break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I get strong Scorpio vibes from Kagami so I wrote her reaction to heartbreak and rejection they way I deal with heartbreak and rejection. Seethe, compartmentalize, and take a break.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which an unintentional confrontation occurs...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished my first day of classes! I’m in love with my poetry class! And I am now the Chief Editor of my newspapers Features section! Which is all great but unfortunately means less just-for-fun writing time. I intend to finish this. I want to try to update other things at least every other weekend but we’ll see how everything goes.  
> Good luck to everyone starting school or college!

Yesterday’s events at the coffee shop kept replaying in Marinette’s head. She had tried to distract herself by designing, but even that didn’t work. “Do you think I did the right thing yesterday?” Marinette asked Tikki, exasperated by her thought process.

“With what?” the kwami asked, from her spot on the chaise’s pillow.

“With Adrien at the coffee shop yesterday. I keep replaying it over in my mind, wondering what-if I had told him what I was really thinking, but I think that I owed it to him to let him move on.”

“Why are you asking for my advice?” the kwami asked, an uncharacteristic bitterness in her tone.

“Tikki?” Marinette’s brows furrowed.

“Marinette, you broke up with Adrien against my advice months ago.”

“I told you, Hawkmoth is still on the loose. Adrien could’ve been akumatized and I couldn’t keep the secret of our identities.”

“You’ve kept the secret these past few months, why would it have been any different if you were together?” the kwami pressed.

“It- it just would’ve been, okay!”

“ _Marinette_ ,” Tikki huffed.

“ _Tikki_.” Marinette mocked the kwami's tone.

“You’re incredibly stubborn, you know. That determination is good in a fight. But it’s going to tear you apart. You need to talk to him, maybe not about your feelings, but at least about what you know.”

“And what if that destroys the world?” Marinette said, her voice small.

“Is the world really what you’re worried about?” Tikki pressed.

“Of course. That’s why I broke up with him,” Marinette sighed.

“Are you sure about that?”

Marinette’s eyes widened at the kwami. “Maybe… maybe I was scared of what that would mean for my relationship with Chat Noir as Ladybug. And maybe I was afraid of how Adrien would react when I told him I was Ladybug.”

“I can’t tell you what to do, Marinette. But avoiding your feelings won’t help anyone.”

“I’m sorry,” Marinette whispered.

“To who?” Tikki asked.

“I don’t know anymore.”

\----------

His father had taken the news better than Adrien had thought he would. He had scoffed, saying that he never should have trusted a bunch of twenty-something year-olds with the fate of his business deal. He had then quickly told Nathalie to notify some of the more “high-profile” wedding guests and to do her best to keep this out of the press. He dismissed Adrien, saying he’d see him in the office on Monday. Adrien briefly felt a flare up of anger that his father didn’t even care enough about him to get _mad,_ but he quickly stamped that thought down.

Now, Adrien wandered the streets unsure what to do. He thought distantly that maybe he should talk to Marinette. Afterall, she was part of the reason he broke off his engagement. Sure, it was his decision and he wouldn’t blame her for any fall out, but he still should at least tell her how he felt. These past months had shown him that much.

Adrien sighed. She might not even know that he was no longer engaged. He had told Kagami he’d deal with their parents and Gabriel had offered to tell the business and high-profile guests, but they hadn’t discussed who would tell their friends. Was this something to do via text message? Call? A hand delivered note? He briefly wondered if wikihow would have an article on how to tell people you cancelled your wedding.

Adrien opted call was probably the best option. He would do that later tonight. Right now… he just needed to be Chat Noir, to feel the freedom of running around Paris. Chat wasn’t tied down by any social constructs. Chat was free.

Adrien ducked into an alley. He opened his shirt to get Plagg out of the shirt pocket.

“Off to tell Spots about your broken-engagement and true feelings,” Plagg teased.

“ _Ladybug_ ,” Adrien chided, “didn’t even know I was engaged.”

“Are you sure about that?” Plagg smirked.

“I- what are you talking about Plagg?” Adrien narrowed his eyes at the kwami. “How would Ladybug know I was getting married if she doesn’t know I’m Adrien?”

“Ladybug is Ladybug. She has her ways.”

“What did you do?” Adrien hissed. “If you told her-”

“You know I can’t tell Ladybug your name or identity. Kwami rules.”

Adrien rolled his eyes. He so did not need to deal with an ornery kwami right now.

“Plagg, claws-” he started.

“Just tell Ladybug what you’re feeling! It will make things easier for the both of you,” Plagg said. His urgent voice took Adrien aback. He knew that Plagg cared about him, but he was still always surprised when Plagg broke his irritated façade.

“I- I will. Plagg, claws out.”

\---------

Marinette knew that she had to talk to Adrien, but she had no idea what to say or where to start. Did she talk to him or Chat as Ladybug or Marinette? Would it be best if she bribed him with a pastry?

She needed to figure it out, but first, she needed to get out of her head and there was only one thing she wanted to do in that moment.

“Tikki, spots on!” the girl cried.

She figured that Adrien would be too busy planning stuff for his wedding so she didn’t worry about running into Chat when she was out.

Ladybug found herself running around the Parisian rooftops. It was true that as Marinette she had grown more confident over the years, but there was a different sort of confidence that came with running around Paris in a skin tight suit.

Ladybug paused for a moment on a rooftop to take in the city. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to seeing the city from this vantage point. She was about to turn to leave when she noticed another figure, meters away on the same rooftop. _Chat._ Is back was to her as he dangled his legs over the edge of the rooftop, but it was definitely him. What could he be doing here?

Part of Ladybug thought that it was best for her to just turn around and run away. But then she saw Chat hunch in on himself. She had dated Adrien long enough to know that while space was good at times, often he did like to be held when he was feeling upset, to feel the safety of a warm embrace that he couldn’t find with his father.

Ladybug walked closer to Chat. “Chat,” she called, softly.

She heard a sniffle. “Good afternoon, my lady,” he replied, not turning to face her.

Ladybug sat beside him. She scooted close, putting one arm around his shoulder. With her other hand, she grasped his hand, that was rested on his thigh. “It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?”

“It is,” he nodded. _Chat was usually so open with his feelings_ , she mused, _it must be really serious if he’s not mentioning it_.

She shifted slightly so she could get a better look at his face. “What’s wrong, Chat?”

“Who said anything’s wrong?” Chat dodged the question with a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Maybe on another day she’d try to tease or pun to lighten the mood as he so often did, but today she just sighed. “Chat…” she chastised. “You’ve been my partner for years. I know when something’s wrong.” _Not to mention that I’ve seen you during finals week,_ she added, internally.

Chat sighed. “I really messed up.”

“You? Mess up?” she teased.

He shot her a weak smile, but sulked again. “I’m serious, bugaboo. I don’t know how to fix this one. I don’t think this _can_ be fixed.”

“Maybe I could help?”

“Yeah, right, and have us reveal ourselves in the process?”

“I mean…” she started. _I already know yours so it’s sort of a moot point._

“No, it’s okay. Really,” he assured her.

“You can leave out names, but I find that talking things out tend to help.”

“If I tell you, you’ll hate me,” he sighed. 

Ladybug’s brows furrowed. “Chaton… I could never hate you.”

“Try leaving a girl at the altar,” he dead-panned. Ladybug’s eyes widened.

“Wh- why would you do that?” It didn’t make sense. He and Kagami had seemed so happy with each other. At least, Kagami had…

“See, you hate me,” he shot her a self-depricating smile.

“No! No! No!” Ladybug amended, wishing she could have the snake’s second chance now, though she was thought it could take her hundreds of times before she found a better response. “I just… I didn’t know you were serious about anyone.” Better.

“Yeah, well, that’s the complicated part. I was serious about this girl a long time ago, but we broke up. And my heart was broken and that was a whole thing, but that’s not really important now because a few months later my father decided it was time for me to get engaged so he and his business partner set me up with a girl, who I’ve been engaged to. She’s a really great girl and I know that she loved me, but I just couldn’t stop bringing myself to stop loving the first girl.”  
Ladybug gasped. She… she may have really messed up.

Chat was so lost in his monologue that he didn’t seem to hear her and continued speaking. “I thought I’d be able to let the first girl go, but I couldn’t. This morning I broke things off with my fiancé so I wouldn’t be leading her on anymore. So, now I have one girl who hates me for breaking her heart and another girl who I still love. Only I don’t even know if she still loves me and…”

“I thought you and Kagami were happy,” Ladybug murmured without meaning to.

 _That_ Adrien heard. His head whipped around to face Ladybug, his eyes wide. “What did you say?”

“I- um…” _What words rhyme with “I thought you and Kagami were happy”?_

“You said her name.” Chat’s expression was unreadable, but his voice was cold. Like he was protecting Kagami from an enemy. From her.

“I did,” she admitted.

“The only way you could know that is if you know me,” he processed. His voice losing its edge, but remaining distant.

“I didn’t mean to,” she whispered.

“You didn’t mean to what?” His voice wasn’t angry now, just… confused. And wondering.

“I didn’t mean to learn your identity.” She sighed. “And I didn’t mean to break your heart.”

“Break my heart…” Adrien’s eyes widened. “Marinette,” he breathed.

“Surprise?” Ladybug put her hands up in jazz-hands, something she regretted immediately.

“You’re Marinette.” Adrien face-palmed. “And you just heard me say how I still loved you.”

“I did,” Ladybug blushed

“Great.” Adrien groaned. “I guess… how long have you known?”

“Remember when we broke up?”

“That long?” His voice seemed calm so Ladybug figured it was fine to continue talking.

“Yep. Pretty much. I- I’m so sorry for breaking up with you. I was scared you wouldn’t want to be with me when I found out that I was Ladybug and I was scared it would complicate our relationship as superheroes and…”

“You were scared I wouldn’t _like you_ and about _our_ relationship? So, you decided to break up with me without talking to me?” The edge had returned to his voice.

“I didn’t want you to be akumatized.”

“So, you lied to me about how you didn’t love me?” His voice was a dagger now striking its target. Her.

“You’re… mad?” she asked. Part of her reasoned that that was one of the stupidest things she could say then, but so much had happened in the last few minutes that she needed confirmation.

“Yes, I’m mad! I’ve wanted us to reveal ourselves forever, but I accepted that it was best to keep each other and our friends safe so I dropped it, but then you learn my identity and you don’t even tell me! You- the girl who was closest to me in and out of costume and _knew_ I hated liars- played on my anxieties and lied to me! We could’ve talked things out, Marinette, but now, I just need a break.” The outburst- so unlike Adrien- had Ladybug shocked.

“But you… said you loved me? And you broke up with Kagami…”

“I did that for her! Because I couldn’t let her live a lie and get her heartbroken little by little every day. I did NOT do it for you!” Chat sighed, the anger fading from his body and voice. Instead he just looked tired now, something Ladybug disliked more. “I- I wasn’t lying when I said I still love you. I think it will take a long time for me to get over you.” Ladybug sighed in relief, but Chat stopped her. “But I can’t be with you right now. Kagami doesn’t deserve that… and honestly, neither do I. I want to forgive you, I do, but there’s so much that I can’t forget about. I love you, my Lady, but I can’t do this. I’ll see you on patrol and when we fight akumas. But that’s all it’s going to be for a while.” Chat strode to the other edge of the roof, his staff elongating to ready him for his flight back to his apartment.

“Chat!” Ladybug cried. “I’m sorry. Please.”

Chat looked over his shoulder at the girl. “I’m sorry, my Lady. Goodbye.” Then he was gone, leaving Ladybug alone with her tears on the roof.

\------------

Adrien collapsed on to his bed with a sigh. He hated being alone. He wanted Marinette to be there with him. He wanted to envelop her in his arms and hold her close, to be filled with her warmth. But then he remembered that day in the rain and all the times she must’ve lied to him both as Marinette and Ladybug since then and a wave of cold washed over her.  
“That went well,” Plagg said.

Adrien glared at the kwami. “No, it did not. I took your advice and told Ladybug everything. It was decidedly unhelpful.”

“I never said it would be helpful, just that it would be easier.”

“Wh-what does that even mean?” Adrien yelled, frustrated, not necessarily at Plagg, but at everything. But in that moment the small, black, god of destruction made a good outlet for it all.

“Now you know who she is and you can stop being so hung up over her. Easy!” Plagg chirped.

Adrien collapsed on the bed and groaned. “No, because now my heart is torn between loving her and being mad at her. Not easy.”

“Eh. It’s not my fault that human’s have so many emotions.” Adrien let out another loud groan and Plagg softened. “Kid… I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but it will be okay… and even if it’s not easy now, knowing everything could do you some good.”

Adrien sighed. “Maybe…”

“Great! I deserve more cheese for my efforts!” Plagg proclaimed.

Adrien groaned again and decided that even though he was still mad at her, Marinette would’ve made better company in this moment.

\-------------

“I really messed it up, didn’t I, Tikki?” Marinette said, curled up in a ball on her bed.

“Yes,” Tikki chirped. Plagg might’ve nicknamed her Sugar Cube, but there was nothing to sugar coat about this situation.

“What am I going to do?” Marinette wailed.

“You could give up and let Adrien work things out on his own or…”

“Or?”

“You could try to be his friend again.”

“You think I can even get that much?” Marinette sighed.

“I think it is a possibility. But you will have to be patient and communicative.”

“I should never have broken up with him,” Marinette groaned into her pillow.

Tikki did not respond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, there is a wikihow article on how to break off an engagement. It says you should call your guests.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette makes a new plan. Ladybug and Chat talk after their confrontation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really dialogue heavy chapter. We'll see if I'm good at dialogue. I probably could have spent more time editing it, but I have course work now.  
> As always thanks for reading and all your comments!

Two kwamis sat blinking up at Marinette as she explained her plan for winning Adrien back.

“Sugar, aka Tikki, will convince Cheese, aka Plagg, to bring Pastry, aka Adrien, to the rooftop that he first tried to profess his love to me. At this point Pear, aka Wayzz, will be helping me set up rose petals and candles.

“When Pastry arrives, I will explain what happened and apologize. I will then continue to apologize over the course of the next few weeks and go out of my way to do nice things for him. We rebuild our relationship and live happily ever after.

“So what do you think?” Marinette proudly placed her hands on her hips.

The kwamis gawked at Marinette.

“Um… Mistress, isn’t the whole reason you’re in this mess because you didn’t take Adrien’s feelings into account?” Wayzz asked.

“Yes. And?”

“Well, it seems that Adrien doesn’t have a real part in this plan even though it’s about _him_ ,” Wayzz said. Marinette frowned at the diagram she had done with sticky-notes on her wall.

“Marinette, you need to be more communicative with him. You need to let him tell you how you can repair your relationship and see what he wants,” Tikki added.

“So, then I don’t use the plan?”

Tikki and Wayzz shook their heads.

“What if you try texting him to see if there’s somewhere the two of you could meet,” Tikki offered.

“It’s worth a shot. It doesn’t have code names though…” she drawled off. She blushed when two small voices groaned. “Okay, so no codenames then.”

\-----------

[Marinette: Can we talk? You can choose the time and the place.]

Adrien looked at the text from Marinette and sighed. It had been two days since their fight. Logically, he knew that he had every right to be mad at her, but whenever he thought about the heart broken look on her face, a wave of guilt washed over her.

He had said that he wanted to only see her on patrols and during akumas, but that wasn’t entirely true. She had been a big part of his life for so long both as Marinette and as Ladybug. He wanted to see her and to have a relationship with her… it was just a lot after everything. There were too many things he wasn’t ready to forget.

 _Sure. How about the Eiffel Tower at 9 before our patrol?_ he finally typed back.

He put the phone on the nightstand and lay back on the bed.

“It will be good for you to talk to her. You’ve been moping about for far too long,” Plagg said from his perch on Adrien’s dresser.

“Thanks,” Adrien deadpanned.

“You know me. Always looking out for your best interest!” Plagg chirped.

There was a buzz from Adrien’s cellphone. With all the grace of his animal alter ego, Adrien scrambled to get to the phone from the nightstand.

[Marinette: See you then. There is a lot I have to tell you.]

\---------

Hours later, Ladybug stood on one of the upper platforms of the Eiffel Tower, looking out over Paris. After a consulting with several people, a few kwamis, and a couple web sources, she had realized that while she needed to apologize, she also needed to hear what Adrien wanted. So, there she waited, heart-in-hand, hoping that Adrien would hear her out.

Ladybug turned around at the sound of boots hitting the platform behind us. She turned to see her partner, a smile on her face. The smile quickly fell when she noted the seriousness in his eyes.

“Do you want to sit?” She gestured to the ground with her hand.

“Sure.” The two heroes moved to sit cross-legged across from each other.

Ladybug pulled a white, paper bag out from behind her back. “A peace offering,” she said.

Chat hesitantly took the bag from her. He opened it and looked at the contents: a variety of the Dupain-Cheng’s famous pastries. He couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, LB,” he said, looking into her eyes.

Ladybug blushed. “It’s really the least I could do.”

Chat took a bite from a chocolate pastry. “Listen, I’m sorry for how I acted the other night. It had been a lot to take in and I had had a stressful day and-”

Ladybug put up a hand to stop him. “No, Adrien. You did nothing wrong. It hurt, but I should’ve been honest with you months ago. I actually asked to meet with you because _I_ need to apologize. It might be too little too late, but I want you to understand what I did. And then I’d like to hear what you want from me to make _us_ work again.”

Chat nodded. “I want us to work. I don’t want to cut you out of my life.”

“I’m glad. I don’t want you to be cut out of mine either,” she shot him a soft, apologetic smile before sighing. “I guess I should start with an event in high school. Do you remember that day when I called you to meet me and then told you “I did it” and cuddled up to you?”

Chat laughed. “How could I forget? The girl of my dreams wanted to tell me something about her life and was relaxing into my touch.” He frowned. “What does that have to do with us breaking up?”

“Earlier that day, Bunnyx visited me from the future. In that future, you- you had been akuamtized as Chat Noir.”

Chat shrugged. “That’s not so bad. I think all of our friends have been akumatized at this point.”

“Chat… when you were akumatized, you destroyed the world.” Ladybug heard a sharp inhale from Chat, but continued to talk. “You called Ladybug-me ‘Marinette’ and you said that our love destroyed the world. I still don’t know all the exact details that led to that moment, but I know that whatever happened, we were in love and we knew each other’s identities.”

Chat looked on in awe as Marinette continued to talk.

“I didn’t think it would be an issue. All we needed to do was defeat Hawkmoth and then we would be safe to reveal our identities. And then I started dating Adrien-you and it seemed like I’d be avoiding that fate of falling in love with you. I actually put it out of my mind for a while, but then I walked into your apartment while you were still Chat. And I panicked. There were so many things going through my mind. I was so scared that I now had to keep two identities a secret. I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to and wouldn’t want to keep _my_ identity a secret from you and then we’d be in the same situation we were before.

“And then there were a dozen other little fears in me. All the times Ladybug turned you down in high school… it was because I was in love with Adrien-you. Those feelings changed to friendship before we graduated, but still. And when I was with you as Adrien I was so happy, but when I learned you were Chat… I was scared that you would resent me for turning you down and you wouldn’t want to be with me. Or that us dating would complicate our superhero relationship and we wouldn’t be able to protect Paris.

“At the end of the day, I may have acted on irrational thoughts and fears. I thought I was doing what was best for Paris and to save myself some heartbreak, but I should’ve at least consulted you as a relationship takes two people.” She finished her story with a sigh.

“Marinette, I had no idea you were dealing with any of that.” Chat reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, but pulled it away at the last second, looking down.

“How could you have? I never told you,” she laughed. She sighed. “Anyway, I didn’t tell you so you could feel bad for me. I told you so can understand why I did what I did. I’m really sorry I hurt you and I want to know what I can do to make things better between us.”

Chat sighed. “I- can we talk as Adrien and Marinette for a moment?” he asked.

“Of course.” The two heroes dropped their transformations, allowing the kwamis to choose a pastry from the basket.

“Marinette, I felt awful about what I said to you yesterday. You’ve been such a big part of my life for so long that the idea of being away from you hurts. And I appreciate everything that you said. I’m sorry you held so much inside of you.” He sighed. “I would love to go back to the way things were before, but I don’t think it’s going to be that simple. I’d like to work on rebuilding our trust and communication.”

Marinette nodded. “I understand. I promise to be more communicative and not to take action when things concern you without telling you first.”

“I’ll also be more communicative and I promise to listen to and support you. It’s a big change when you’re used to keeping everything inside.” Adrien returned her smile.

Marinette wanted to close the space between them, but she decided that, at least for now, some space would be good. There was one other topic she needed to bring up, though she was hesitant about it. “You- you said you still love me. Is that still true?”

Adrien put his hands behind next, a gesture she had noticed both Adrien and Chat do when they were nervous. “Ah, yeah. About that… right now, I’d rather just be your friend, if that’s alright?”

Marinette felt her heart fall, but she tried not to show it. She had expected this, but had still hoped that he would want to be more. Still, she had a made a plan to apologize and let him lead their healing process. “Friends sounds great,” she smiled. Her heart warmed when he returned her smile with one of his own. _Maybe this won’t be so bad._

The two heroes continued to sit, snacking on pastries before patrol. Their conversation was light, but it held promise of a new beginning and a stronger relationship than before.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette work to rekindle their friendship. An akuma causes a holdup with this plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arguably the worst chapter. Please someone teach me how to not end fictions on an awfully cheesy note?

It had been weeks since Adrien and Marinette had talked on the Eiffel Tower. While Marinette had initially hoped to be something more with Adrien, she quickly found that she loved working to be his friend again. After their breakup, there had been some lingering tension, with them rarely getting together except in large group settings and the conversations being stilted and awkward at times. Now, they made an effort to see each other and, slowly, their conversations had become more natural and carefree, back to the way they had been both as friends and lovers before their breakup. As Ladybug, Marinette tried to be more communicative about what she was feeling and she had to admit that it was a relief to have someone she could be honest with about the pressure of being a guardian.

None of that meant that her feelings for Adrien had disappeared. She still loved him even now. There were a few times where she had caught other girls flirting with Adrien where she couldn’t help, but feel a stab of jealousy. She knew that he had a right to see or flirt anyone he wanted, but the thought of him being with anyone else- _loving_ anyone else- still hurt. Of course, that was the one feeling she’d never communicate with Adrien.

The akuma today was another power-taking akuma. Antihero was a man whose girlfriend idolized Paris’s superheroes (especially Chat Noir) and had become jealous. His powers were enhanced speed, agility, and strength, and he had the ability to take away their powers with a hit from his staff.

Ladybug had thought they were doing fine. Then Antihero had lunged for Chat Noir, striking him with the staff.

“Chat!” Ladybug cried.

“I’m okay, my lady,” Chat groaned, the staff having removed his powers.

“Be careful!” she called, as she watched him stand on shaky legs. All she needed to do was break Antihero’s staff and Chat would be fine. She could do that.

Ladybug called for her lucky charm. It was a shovel.

As Ladybug stared at the object, several things happened at once. Antihero lunged for her while she was momentarily distracted and she flinched back, expecting the hit. Only the hit never came because Chat used his remaining strength to leap in front of her, taking the hit straight on, his suit not offering its usual protection. The force of the staff sent him flying backwards.

“No!” Ladybug screamed. Chat Noir had collapsed on the pavement. Ladybug knew she shouldn’t get distracted from the fight, but she couldn’t stop herself from running to him.

His eyes were closed and he lay in a sizeable crater, a hand draped over his stomach.

“Oh no. Oh no. Please no.” She reached her hand up to check for his pulse. It was weak, but it was there. She breathed a sigh of relief, before turning to glare at Antihero.

Her eyes searched her surroundings looking for a plan. There was a familiar red light around the staff. She looked down to see herself light up red too. It was risky, but it was a plan.

“Hey, Antihero!” she called. “Try to catch me!”

Antihero sped towards her. He lunged at her with the staff, but she brought up the shovel handle in time to snag the staff. She twisted the shovel and the staff went flying into her other hand. She was then able to snap it over her knee, releasing the akuma from within.

“Miraculous Ladybug!” she cried, throwing her lucky charm into the sky, her Miraculous cure sweeping over the street.

“No more evil doing for you!” she called, swinging her yo-yo up to capture the black butterfly. When the butterfly reemerged, it was white. “Bye bye, little butterfly,” she cooed, watching it flit off into the sky.

She turned around, quickly, needing to see Chat okay. She smiled in relief when she saw him walking towards her, a familiar grin on his face.

“Well, my lady, I suppose a cat doesn’t _always_ land on his feet,” Chat quipped. He held his fist up, ready to do their signature ‘pound it’, but Ladybug wrapped him in a tight embrace instead.

Chat seemed surprised, but returned the embrace. “Woah, LB,” he ran a soothing hand through her hair. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t ever scare me like that again. I love you too much,” she said, her face buried in his neck.

Chat pulled back in shock. He was dimly aware that there were other people on the street, but all that mattered in that moment was her.

“You love me?” he gasped.

“I- um- yes, yes I do,” she said, sheepishly. “I know with everything-“

Chat cut her off with another hug. It was then that he brought his lips up to her ear and whispered. “Meet me on your balcony in ten?”

\-------------

Marinette paced on her balcony. “It will be okay, Marinette,” Tikki had cooed. “Just because he wants to talk, doesn’t mean it’s bad.”

“We were supposed to be working on our friendship and I just blurted out that ‘I loved him’!” Marinette wailed. “What if he never wants to see me again? What if-”

“Marinette!” Tikki cried. “Catastrophising?”

“Oh, right,” Marinette giggled. “I’m sure everything will be fine, I just-”

Marinette never finished her thought because at that moment she saw Chat approach her balcony.

“I’ll be in your room if you need anything,” Tikki said to the girl.

“Thanks,” Marinette said to the kwami, before turning her attention to Chat.

“Good evening, my lady,” Chat said, landing on her balcony with a soft thud.

“It’s weird having you call me that out of costume,” she admitted. When he frowned, she giggled. “Good weird. It’s nice having you know all of me.”

“I agree,” he said, coming up to stand closer to her.

Marinette looked down to the side. “Listen, Chat, about what I said-”

Chat stepped closer to her. Her words were caught off when he took both her hands in his. She looked down at their clasped hand in awe, before bringing her eyes back up to meet his. “Marinette, my lady, I love you too.”

“You do?” she said, searching his eyes for any trace of doubt.

“I do,” he nodded, a smile on his face. “I wanted to say it back to you in the street, but I think it’s best if Hawkmoth and Paris _didn’t_ find out that their superheroes were a couple. And I didn’t think I could say ‘I love you’ without doing this.” Chat leaned in close and pressed his lips to Marinette’s. It was a soft, chaste kiss, but it held promises of something more.

“You want to be couple?” Marinette asked, finally pulling back. In the interest of not making assumptions, she wanted the confirmation.

“I do.” He blushed. “That is- um- we haven’t talked about it- if you want to be friends-” Marinette stopped his stuttering by pressing her lips to his. He melted into the kiss, holding her waist in his hands.

It was too soon that they broke the kiss, trying to get their breaths back. Marinette had missed that. “I would love to be a couple. I love you, Adrien. I never stopped.”

“Me neither. I love you too.” 

Marinette didn’t know what the future would hold, but as long as she had her partner by her side, she knew she would be fine.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The [hopefully] much awaited Kagami chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the fluff! Is it too fluffy? I don’t know, I don’t care. I don’t know how else to end these things and Kagami deserves fluff!

Kagami stared at the piece of paper in her hand. It was a wedding invitation from Adrien and Marinette. Kagami sighed.

“What are you looking at?” A soft voice from behind said. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and Kagami shifted her head to the side so her girlfriend, Becca, could rest her head on her shoulder.

Kagami tilted the invitation so Becca could see it. “A wedding invitation from my _ex-fiance,_ ” Kagami emphasized. There was no anger in her voice. In fact, being held by her girlfriend of three years, Kagami found the whole thing to be rather amusing.

“How considerate to invite you,” Becca said, softly kissing her neck. Kagami shifted her head slightly so their lips could meet. “Are you going to go?”

Kagami spun herself out of Becca’s arms so that she could face her, leaving the invitation on the counter behind her. “I was thinking I would.” She clasped Becca’s hands in hers. “I was thinking that it would be nice to be in Paris again. _And_ I’d love to introduce you to everyone.”

“Really?” Becca asked. A smile lit up her face.  
“Really,” Kagami nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t before, it’s just my mother is a nightmare, and you wouldn’t want to meet here. And yeah there are my old friends, but if we’re being honest, I like our life in New York so much more than my life in Paris.”

Becca smiled, her auburn hair flashed in the morning light streaming through their apartment’s windows. “I like our life here too.”

Becca pulled Kagami into a kiss. It wasn’t as passionate as many of their others had been throughout their years together, but was long and slow and sweet, filled with promises of happiness and support and stability.

It had taken Kagami two days on her vacation to Greece to discover that she did not like relaxing. She missed the fast pace of the city that didn’t allow her to wallow, but instead continued to propel her life forward. She didn’t want to go back to Paris and be a pawn for her mother again so she decided that she would go to New York and study law. It would be the intense work she needed to clear her mind of Adrien and her mother and everyone in Paris _and_ it would be setting her up for the successful life she wanted outside of her mother’s domain. And someday if she did want to go back to Paris, every country needed lawyers.

It was on her second day of law school that she had met Becca. Becca was in one of her law classes and was working to be an immigration lawyer, her path to law school being significantly less spiteful than Kagami’s had. The two quickly became friends, Becca too having just gotten out of a long term relationship marred by betrayal.

Soon, their friendship bloomed into something more. They had now been a couple for three years and were sharing an apartment. Kagami couldn’t be happier. She was even considering proposing.

Becca pulled back from the kiss. She reached behind Kagami to grab the invitation. She squinted at the couple in the picture. “I can see why you fell for Adrien. He’s hot. So is Marinette. You sure you never had a thing for her?” Becca teased.

“Well…” Kagami started, causing both her and Becca to laugh.

“I look forward to meeting them and all your other friends,” Becca assured her. “And I’ll have to thank Adrien?”

Kagami’s brows creased. “What for?”

“For breaking your heart. Without him, you never would’ve come to America and met me.” Becca shrugged, a playful smile on her lips. Kagami lightly smacked her girlfriend on the arm, but found herself laughing with her.

As she was pulled into another kiss, Kagami thought that maybe thanking Adrien wasn’t such a far-fetched idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this! It was a fun and stupid thing to write!  
> Unfortunately, I actually have school I need to do now. I hope to post stuff once every few weeks (I have my post-season 3 fic to finish and my NSFW one), but we’ll see. And I will NOT be brainstorming a Miraculous Anastasia musical AU because I do not need anything else taking up my free time.


End file.
